Howell resident seeks support in objection to planned cellular tower

The residents of Howell need to attend the zoning board meeting on Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. to speak out against the building of a cell tower in Ramtown.

Omnipoint Communications Inc. is proposing to build a cell tower on the Ramtown Fire Department property. In order to do so, they are applying for several variances.

Howell ordinance 188-70 states that locating a cell tower in a residential area is not permitted. The Ramtown Fire Department is in an R-3 residential zone.

Howell ordinance 188-98 states, among other things, the township should protect residential areas from adverse impact of towers and antennas and encourage location of towers in nonresidential areas.

The International Association of Fire Fighters has adopted a policy of opposing the use of fire stations as base stations for cell towers until a study on the health effects of exposure is conducted and proves such sitings are not hazardous to its members (IAFF, August 2004).

Numerous studies show adverse health effects for those residents living within 300 meters of a cell tower, including some cancers and electrical hypersensitivity, whose symptoms include fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches, depression and memory loss.

Please, if you have never attended a zoning board meeting before, make this your first. The health and welfare of your family depend on it. Being there is being heard.

Rhea Villanti

Howell